Dressed To The Nines
by VegasGirl09
Summary: The gang celebrates Finn's birthday.


Getting time off from his busy job in San Diego was becoming increasingly difficult as time went on. So when the opportunity to have a long weekend off for Julie's birthday was given to him, he took it in stride, flying home to Vegas and planning numerous ways to spoil her on her special day. Sunday night was difficult for her, as she couldn't sleep the anticipation of celebrating in whatever ways Nick had planned for her, building with each passing hour. So it was no surprise that she was still asleep at seven Monday morning, when he was awake and anxious now. He didn't have the heart to wake her up the way she did to him when she was awake first, with pillows to the face. Instead, when she moved in her sleep and rested her head on his chest, he smiled, rested his hand on her back, tracing repetitive circles just the way she liked. Her sleepy sigh of content told him she was waking up so he seized the moment, kissed her forehead and whispered "Happy birthday sweetness"

She smiled, stretched, snuggled against him and whispered back "Thanks Nicky"

"Excited for today?" he asked now.

"I would be, if you would just tell me what we're doing" she challenged him, trying to weasel more information from him.

"Nice try," he said tangling his fingers in her hair and scratching her head loving her playful attempts to get him to spoil the surprises.

"Can't I just have a hint?" she asked, pouting that adorable frown that made him melt instantly.

"You don't need clues, Ms. Blood Whisperer," he teased her now, and then whistled.

Sam came trotting into the room wearing a bow tie collar around his neck, making him look like a little butler.

"Aw," she gushed when she saw him, sitting up in bed, reaching out for Sam who nudged her, sniffing her face, wanting her to move and follow him.

"Better do what he says babe," Nick informed her "Sam's in charge today."

She gave him a confused look but happily swung out of bed to follow Sam out of the room, down the stairs and into the hallway. She slid barefoot onto the hardwood floor, sliding into the kitchen where Sam had led her and grinned.

A vase stood on the counter, filled with fresh flowers, daisies, her favorite. The dining room table was set perfectly with plates and silverware. In the middle was a buffet style of pancakes with toppings to decorate them with, frosting, sprinkles, whipped cream, chocolate chips, enough sugar to keep her bouncing all day.

"Wow," she gushed "this is great; it's all my favorite stuff!"

"Nothing but the best for the birthday girl." Nick reminded her, hugging her from behind as she admired all his hard work in preparing the first surprise.

Breakfast was just as fun as he anticipated it to be. He spent the majority of it watching her decorate her homemade pancakes with sprinkles and other toppings, showing him her creations, giggling, and then devouring the entire plate of food.

After breakfast, she started to help clear the table but he stopped her, sliding his arms around her waist and gently pulling her away from the table.

"I don't think so," he teased swaying with her "no one should have to clean on their birthday, come here."

He spun her around, away from the table, put his hands on her hips and gently lifted her up, setting her on the counter.

"I just wanted to help," she said giggling when she felt her stomach tingle the way it always did when he picked her up.

"I know," he said kissing her forehead "but this is your special day, you should relax and let me clean up."

He helped her down from the counter and gently scooted her into the living room while he tended to the mess in the kitchen. She was answering texts on her phone and playing with Sam on the living room floor when he finished and went in to check on her.

"Morgan sent me a singing email card," she giggled, showing him the message.

"That's really sweet of her," he said.

"Do you think we can stop by and see the guys later?" she inquired "unless that's already part of the plan?"

She smirked hoping he would reveal more of the surprises for today.

"Soon," he promised checking his watch for the time "it's only nine; we have a few hours left."

"A few hours?" she scoffed impatiently "what am I supposed to do until then?"

She got her answer when he took her to the park to walk Sam around the track and play fetch with him. After the walk, they dropped Sam off at home and went to play tennis at the courts near the gym. It was after lunch time when he received the text from Sara telling him everything was ready. Julie knew he couldn't keep this secret surprise from her for much longer so when they returned home to shower and change before leaving again, she knew this was it. She was slightly surprised when they drove to Russell's house but knew from all the cars out front that this was for her.

"I love it already," she told him as they strolled up the driveway.

She turned to keep going towards the front door but he tugged her hand and led her instead to the backyard. She could hear music, muffled, but growing louder as they passed through the unlocked gate. When Julie caught sight of what was in front of her, it wasn't like anything she could have guessed in a million years.

There was indeed a party; all their friends from work had gathered in the Russell's back yard. There were balloons and streamers placed all over the yard, fences and patio furniture. There was a table filled with food all laid out on trays next to a separate table filled with wrapped gifts in all different colors of paper and shiny bags. Topping it all off was a giant inflatable bouncing house normally reserved for kid's parties. She had always wanted to have one for a few hours, just to feel like a kid again. That had been her ultimate wish and now her friends and Nick had given it to her.

She was staring at the entire scene with wide eyes, silent, until she felt Nick hug her from behind again.

"Is-is all this for me?" she asked him.

"Yep," he replied, happy to see her so surprised.

"Wow," she breathed, pointing excitedly at the tables "look at all those presents Nicky, and that bouncy house, how did you know?"

Nick didn't have time to answer her when Barbara and DB approached them now.

"There she is," Barbara gushed to the crowd behind her "the birthday girl is here!"

"Hi sweetie," she greeted Julie with a hug "happy birthday"

"Thanks," Julie muttered still in shock over the surprise.

"Happy birthday Jules," Russell told her now.

"Did- did you guys do all this?" she stammered in disbelief.

"Well Nick planned it all and gave us a list of stuff he wanted for you and we turned it into this," Barbara explained, waving to the party set up behind her.

"We hope you like it," Hodges said in a squeaky voice for he had just inhaled some helium from one of the balloons.

Julie couldn't help but smirk at his antics.

"It's beautiful," she praised everyone "I love it all and I love you guys"

"Come and see the bouncy house," Morgan said, reaching for Julie's hand to guide her to the inflated structure.

"Wait for me!" Hodges squeaked racing after them.

Though the bouncy house looked small from the distance, it was actually quite large up close. Julie, Morgan, Greg and Hodges scrambled inside, jumping up and down, trying to have unsteady races on the cushiony material, pushing each other and being overall ridiculous.

The bounce house turned out to be the best thing Nick could have ever thought to rent for this party. Julie spent an inordinate amount of time burning off all her excess energy bouncing continuously even when everyone else got tired. She stopped only to devour the pizza and junk food and tear into the presents her friends spoiled her with.

When it was time for the cake, Nick didn't have to search far to know where Julie had snuck back off too. He stuck his head under the entryway to the bouncy house where she was and said "The guys are ready for cake, would you care to join us?"

"Just a few more minutes?" she begged.

He just smiled and shook his head.

"Fine, then you have to come in here and get me," she challenged him bouncing in a circle, giggling.

"I don't think so," he said unconvinced.

"Please Nicky?" she begged "chase me."

She loved games like that, he knew. So he crawled inside the bouncy house, swaying unsteadily before hobbling after her. She let out a shriek, bouncing farther away from him. He tried to grab her but she leapt away, dancing closer, and then bouncing away. Back and forth they went on like this for a good ten minutes. She would laugh hysterically every time he made an attempt to catch her but failed. She was dancing around him for the fifth time when she lost her balance. He took advantage of that slip and caught her, wrapping both his arms around her until they both fell sideways onto the cushiony surface below.

"No," she protested trying to squirm out of his hold but he kept her pinned to the floor.

"Gotcha," he declared, triumphantly.

"You cheated," she insisted, struggling to catch her breath, unable to hide her smile and delight at their antics.

"No way, I won fair and square and you know it," he insisted, "now will you come and have some cake with us?"

"No way, I want a rematch," she insisted folding her arms stubbornly and refusing to move from the bouncy house floor.

"A rematch?" he repeated her words "I'll give you a rematch."

Within seconds he had pinned her to the floor again, grabbing her sides, tickling mercilessly, her laughter echoing throughout the entire yard. She loved tickle fights but could only stand it for so long before she was screaming for him to stop. He let her go, helping her sit up and crawl out of the bouncy house and over to the table for cake. She sat at the head of the table, surrounded by her friends who loved her as Barbara brought out the cake and lit the candles. The loud chorus of the "Happy Birthday" song that erupted from everyone made her smile big.

"Make a wish sweetie," Barbara whispered to her when they finished singing.

Julie didn't know what to wish for, seeing as she already had the greatest friends and family anyone could ask for. Nevertheless, she closed her eyes, made her wish and blew out the candles.

"What did you wish for?" Henry asked eagerly.

"She can't tell you, that'll ruin it!" Morgan protested.

"That's just superstition," Greg scoffed at them.

But Julie couldn't stop smiling at her friends and all they had done for her today.

As evening descended upon them, turning the sky grey and pink, the sun leaving behind an orange glow in its wake as it tucked behind the mountains, she felt tired but happy. Russell brought out a fire pit from the garage and started a bonfire for them to sit around. The bouncy house had been returned to the party supply company so all Julie had left to entertain her was charades and s'mores around the fire. Nick watched her again, like he had been doing all day, enjoying every expression on her face from shock to joy. She giggled at a story Sara had told her about something funny Greg had done on one of their cases before she was part of the team. Her giggling had been his favorite part of the day, just knowing how happy she was from the minute she woke up on her special day made his heart soar with love and adoration for her. So he wasn't surprised when she found her way back to him, cuddling up in the same folding camp chair he occupied and sighing.

"Having fun?" he asked her, raising his arm so she could snuggle in for warmth.

"I love this place," she declared as she often did when she was over the moon about something "today was the bees knees Nicky, how did you know I wanted all that stuff?"

"Well the pancake buffet reminded me of that little ice cream shop we ate at in San Diego last year," he began "I know how much you love the guys and getting presents and pizza and the bouncy house? Well darling, I think that one spoke for itself."

"You spoil me," she said covering a yawn now, "I love it."

"Honey, spoiling you with cake and bouncy houses is my specialty," he reminded her.

She nodded but fell silent, tiredness over taking her.

"I like what we have," she said after a few silent minutes of watching the flames dance around the fire pit.

"What's that sweet pea?" he asked.

"We don't need fancy stuff to be happy you know?" she concluded "we can just do simple stuff and go crazy and have so much fun isn't that cool?"

"It is," he said, knowing this fact about her all along, it was one of the many reasons he fell in love with her.

He could see her smile by the light of the fire, as she snuggled against him again. She closed her eyes, wanting to rest but not wanting to miss a second of her birthday even if it was getting dark now.

"Nicky can I tell you what I want for next year?" she mumbled tiredly.

"What would you like for next year?" he asked playing along.

She turned over, almost crawling on top of him, hovering between sleep and wake, and whispered " _Two_ bouncy houses"

If hearts could explode from love, his would have detonated right there. Her sweet words melting him more than the heat that radiated from the bonfire in front of them.


End file.
